Mesa County Sheriff Suspends ICE Immigrant Detainment

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Mesa County Sheriffs Office and other county sheriffs across the state have suspended holding suspected illegal immigrants, as identified by ICE or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

This is due to a federal ruling that decided people were being held in jail improperly.

Mesa County Sheriffs say the suspension comes after a county case in the state of Oregon in which a person was held in jail on an ICE detainer without a probable cause to be there.

The federal ruling has suspended the ability of county sheriff's departments to hold someone on an ICE detainer.

This issue could lead to an entirely new process of detaining immigrants.

“Maybe it will result in a different process in which they want somebody held but the process is likely going to have to include judicial review and a warrant and or probably cause statement,” said Mesa County sheriff Stan Hilkey.

In a statement ice officials believe detainers keep the public safe.

"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will continue to work cooperatively with law enforcement partners throughout Colorado as the agency seeks to enforce its priorities by identifying and removing convicted criminals and others who are public safety threats,” said ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok.